Vacuum touch



Dec. 18, 1928.

W. E. JOHNSTON VACUUM TORCH Filed Jan. 14, 1924 V extinguished.

Patented Dec. 18, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VACUUM TORCH.

Application filed January 14, 1924.

This invention relates to an oil burning torch of the vacuum type. Oil burning torches are now commonly used in railroad car repairwork, firing locomotives and other boilers, starting coal fires in locomotives, etc. The torches are of two types, namely, the pressure type in which the oil used is fed under pressure, and the vacuum type in which the oil is fed in an induced current caused by the current of compressed air. Owing to the inconvenience, expense and possibility of accident, it is very desirable not to have the supply of oil under pressure and vacuum torches, therefore are much preferable. However, it has been found with the vacuum torches of the prior art, that the same would go out or become extinguished when used at any considerable height above the, oil reservoir. This, of course, was a very serious disadvantage as it is often desirable to use the torch at such heights, especially on railroad car Work. The applicant has found that this action is due to the intermittent action of the inducing air current. The vacuum formed in the torch which induces the current of oil is, therefore, lost or dropped momentarily and if the oil column is being raised to a consider able height it drops back and a break is formed in the fuel supply so that the flame is Such intermittent action of an inducing jet has long been experienced in injectors and is exceedingly difficult, if not, as yet, impossible to overcome. The problem of eliminating the trouble of the torch becom ing extinguished had to be attacked from another angle.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide a vacuum torch which will continue to operate efficiently at levels quite a distance above the oil supply, which torch has means for discharging a plurality of jets of mixed oil and air.

It is a further object of the invention to provide such a torch, the discharge head or top of which has a plurality of spaced passages for the discharge of mixed oil and air, each of which communicates with the supply passages for the oil and compressed air.

' It is also an object of the invention to provide such a torch having a plurality of spaced Serial No. 686,032.

discharge passages for the mixed oil and air and also having means therebetween for discharging a current of air.

. It is still further an object of the invention to provide a torch having a plurality of cq ually and circumferentially spaced passages for discharging mixed oil and air, which passages diverge toward their outer ends.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which-- Fig. l is a View in longitudinal vertical section through the torch;

Fig. 2 is a Vertical section through the novel discharge head or tip thereof;

Fig. 3 is a view in elevation, as seen from the right of Fig. 2; and Fig. 4: is a view in elevation, as seen from the left of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. 1 a

torch of the vacuum type is shown coinprising the body member 1, into the forward end which is threaded the tube 2 forming the air supply tube, and through which passes the tube 3 for the oil or fuel supply. The member 1 has a regulating cock 4; therein and has a coupling member secured thereto adapted to be connected with a hose or other air si'lpplying conduit which will be connected with the source of compressed air. The body lllGIIlbOl 1 is connected to the rear end member 6 by suitable bolts 7, said members being provided with packing cavities S. The member 6 receives the outer end of the tube 3 with which a passage 6 communicates, which is controlled by a needle Valve 9 having an operating handle or wheel 10 thereon and which passes through a suitable packing gland 11. The member 6 also has a coupling 152 secured thereto to which will be connected a pipe or flexible conduit whichwill, in turn, extend to the oil supply reservoir. The tube 2 carries at its outer end the head or block 13 which is also threaded to receive the outer end of the tube 8. A tip member 14 is threaded into the outer end of the head 13 and a short plug 15 passage formed between tubes 2 and 3 which ,is the passage for the vcompressed air, and

communicate with an annular passage extending around the rear of member '14: in:

havin a sin 'le central aoerture 15 extend- As the oil enters the oassa es 14 it is struck a: o l i b ing therethrough abuts the rear end of mem ber 14. The interior of tube 3 communicates v 1a formed in the rear end of the tip member 14. Passages 13 extend from the "annular the block 13. It will be seen that the passage 15 is in direct con'miunication with the compressed air passage. Extending outwardly a of their length, of larger diameter. sage la 'ot comparatively small diameter extends from the recess 14 outwardly'in an inclined direetioninto the outer portion of each passage 14 communicating with the same substantially atthe shoulder formed between their danger" and smaller diameters. The

passages 14* are equally spaced circumferenti'al'lyfabout the axis of member lei and said at their outer ends than at their inner ends so that said passages diverge toward their outer'ends. Apassage- 14 also extends from" the passage 15" diagonally toward the outer end ofn ember 1e and communicates with a small central passage 14 T disposed su'bstantiallycentrally or axially of thefm ember l4.

. .A nozzle member 16 is shown having a'sleeve 16"fitting on the block 13 and abutting i against a flange on said block, which nozzle is held in place by a screw 17 extend ng" through sleeve 16? and contacting thebloclr 13in agroove 13" extending circumferentialend oi passz-iges 14" am;

1y thereabout, I I r V In the opera-t in of the torch the'an' is supplied through the coupling 5 and member 1 and the coclt 4% is i'uurned to open position, the air passes through an a-nmilar pas ige between tubes 2 and 3 into the passa e 15 From. herethe air pas '1 s through the small portions ot'..alid'pass'iges,'ivl ere it expands and, as itdiseharges' outwardly, forms a partial vacuum 'in i said "larger portions of the passages 1 4. Thisyaeu'rmi extends baclr into'recess 14c 'andpassage 15 and into the tube 3 to the valve controlledpassage (Si.

The. degree of vacuum will be slightly less in the tube 3 owing to the Fl'lCtlOfl oi? theinduced current of oil.

This vacu'nm'r the oilfrom the oil reservoir be upwardly through its'supply C(ihduitinto the member 6 and outwardly through the 3, Theoil'passes through passage 15 A paspasses "1 n to th e larger by the current of compressed air moving at it leaves the member and'the flame formed issues through the nozzle 16. sa d nozzle 16 is provided with holes 16 through which additional air enters. By providing a plnrality of discharge passages 14", instead otjust one passage, as has been the practice in the prior art, it the compressed air jet passing throughanyone of the small portions of a passage 14" Iinterniits or pulsates that he i acuuin is momentarily drop ed, the flame will not be extinguished as tuel'will be a; p plied thi'o ugh one of the "o ther "passages Even itthe intermittent"? ocei simultaneously in twooi: the passages 1-5:",'ftuelwoul'lbe supplied through the other 1 k ain' the flame. It is practieasy certain that all three of the irltliunng i l notintermit or drop the vacuum at e time so that 'thepossibility"of'the torch being extinguished by such intermittent act-ion is'practicahy eliminated. Itwas "found that by projecting theinixtureflof oil passages are spaced a greater distance'radial-f air from the c'ii'cumferentially' spaced 'pas's'ages M that su'iiieientair did not re' ach the interior' of the projected m'ixtu re; and the" va ages '14" were thus formed witlt"an inclination so-thatthey'"diverge, 7 ng a largeopening at'th'e center of th e discharged mixtur \Iore" air was thus bled to reach the'fi bastion. Even with the "diverging passages it Was found that it wasdiliicultior side air to reach theinterioi'eoi the p ejected n'iixture and for this'i'eason; the air dise'l I ing passages 14 and la were "pr Compressed 'air is therefore? discharged through the centeror aflthe center the pr acted combustible n'uxtureandfthisair i urnishes an ample" (fu'zintity 0t oxygen to form aperfectcombustion. llie"heat"resulting tronr thefl'ame of tlie'torch is of a very high degree. Standard iron'"or"steel "vii'e" /;;th inch in diameter heldfin the torch flame instantly melted. Thi' an unusually hi'gl'i degree otheatand an' unusual various changes may be made in the form, de-

ta.ils,' arrangement and proportions "of the parts Without departing frontthe scope "of applicants invention,- Which; generally ide portion ofthis progected mixture to torininore aerfect 'eomstated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, such as 1. A vacuum torch having an oil passage and a passage for compressed air therein, a

discharge member havin a recess in its rear end communicating with the oil passage, said torch having an annular recess therein in the rear of said discharge member, a plurality of circumferentially spaced passages of comparatively small diameter communicating with said annular recess, each of said latter passages having an enlarged portion at their outer ends, and a passage of comparatively small diameter extending from the recess in said discharge member to the enlarged portion of each of said latter passages substantially at the rear end of said enlarged portion.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1, a passage disposed substantially centrally of said discharge member at its outer end and a passage extending inwardly from the inner end thereof and communicating with said annular passage.

3. A vacuum torch having in combination, a passage for compressed air, a passage in which a flow of oil is induced, a plurality of circumferentially spaced discharge passages in which the oil and air are brought together and from which mixed oil and air are discharged, said discharge passages being in communication with both of said first mentioned passages and a discharge passage having an outlet disposed between the outlets of said circumferentially spaced discharge passages and co1nmunicat ing with said first mentioned passage.

4. A vacuum oil burning torch having in combination, means for supplying air under pressure above atmospheric pressure, means for supplying oil at atmospheric pressure, a plurality of passages having discharge outlets leading from the first mentioned means having enlarged portions, a plurality of passages leading from said second mentioned means, respectively communicating with said. enlarged portions, said enlarged portions constituting discharge passages for said torch, whereby a plurality of spaced discharge passages for mixed oil and air are provided and a discharge passage for compressed air having a discharge outlet disposed substantially centrally between the. outlets of said discharge outlets.

STA vacuum feed torch having in combination, an oil supply conduit, a member having a central oil chamber therein communicating with said. conduit, said member having a plurality of spaced air passagestherein having discharge outlets, a compressed air supply conduit, a passage leadingfrom said air supply conduit to each of said air passages and smaller in cross sectional area than said air passage, a passage leading from each of said spaced air passages to said central oil chamber, and a passage for compressed air having a discharge outlet disposed between said discharge outlets of said spaced air passages whereby a vacuum is formed in each of said air passages and oil is drawn thereinto, and a torch is formed having a plurality of discharge passages for mixed oil and air.

6. A vacuum feed oil torch having in combination, an elongated central conduit forming an oil passage, an outer conduit surrounding said conduit fern'iing an annular passage for compressed air, a member socured to said conduits at one end thereof respectively having a central passage communicating with said cent 'al conduit and having a plurality of longitudinally extending passages communicating with said annular passage, a discharge head secured to said member having a plurality of circumferentially arranged passages therein having enlarged outer portions extending to the end of said head and having reduced portions extending to the inner end of said head and communicating with said passages in said member, said head also having a central chamber therein communicating with said central passage in said member and said central conduit, said head also having a small passage extending from the enlarged portion of each of said plurality of passages to said central chamber for the passage of oil, whereby mixed oil and air are discharged from the enlarged portions of each of said plurality of passages in said head.

7. The structure set forth, in claim 6, said head also having a passage extending therethrough between said plurality of passages, having an outlet end disposed between the outlets of said plurality of passages, and having its inner end communicating with said passages in said member.

8. A vacuum oil burning torch having in combination, means for supplying air under pressure above atmospheric pressure, means for supplying oil at atmospheric pressure, a plurality of passages leading from said first mentioned means having enlarged outlet portions, a plurality of passages leading from said second mentioned means respectively, communicating with said enlarged outlet portions, said enlarged outlet portions constituting the discharge passages for said torch whereby a plurality of oil discharge passages for mixed oil and air are provided, and a discharge passage for air above atmospheric pressure having a discharge outlet disposed substantially centrally between said discharge passages.

9. A vacuum torch having in combination, a member having a plurality of spaced discharge passages therein through which mixed w {oil andair are discharged-,maeans for pF-Qducing a partial vacuum in said passages, a p'as- 'sag'e leadinghto each Ofsaid: passages communicatipg -.-wit11 .-an pil supply conduit, *Wherebybil is drawn-into said discharge passages; said; discharge passages constituting thedischarge' passages forsaid' torch and rir oin -whi ch mixedoiiand air are discharged, is and a dischargm passage-- for said torch for discharging,- com'pressed 7 "air; disposed rhe- 10 tween said discharge passages. V

. In testimony whereof Iaflix my WAYBURN ,E; JOHNSTON signature.v 

